The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-02-02
On The Big Bridge

{ The sights and sounds on the New York
and Brookly bridge at night differ from
those Of the day. SAYS the New York T.
bifns as much ts the great arr Of electric
lights on that aerial highw y dif.r from
I the glare os high n1oa. Cll1sry Il b.
/ the hanirp,is drift i,llv a-r1ss the trI,iure
between sunrise and sunset every day.
People visiting New York f1r the first
time linger long on the bridge. They look
at the harrying cr0wds who rush al1ng
the promenade. going westward % New
York in the mornin and eastward 10 bed
and board in BrooSi IN AZ nishtdllL They
.iang over the pIrEpets. let their siances
IA t.se overtne two great cities thToa5ing
With busy hfe. mark the rapid tide OF the
East river flowing under their fee; with
the fleets and fags Of the world tiying az
the wharyes. ply the wearie,i policemen
with countless queries about the bridge.
and when they return % their homes
they talk to their friends and aeeqlaiRt-
ances for hours concerning the siupen-
dogls structure. Bal they have seen 0asf
one side Of life on the bridge. Ii Is a-teF
the electric lights have suppbntei the
iay. when the appIrea,iy eniiess srrn-
Of vehicles anI funeral pr,ceSsi5us thlt
have been rumb'ing across the roadway
ior tweI e hours AIS dwin Tied O. an Oc-
c.isi0u..i truck or carriage that the second
side Of life on the bris,se sets in The
-tr.lIv roar Of the cit.S cease % jar on
the ear. tae last traveller h3n-Hri 10
Brooklyn with a weary look on his face
lud thourlts o. sap.er in his hsIl ass
passed aurri-dIv on The mighty arch
3. now gwen over 10 family groups and
- lovers.
The last to ieare the briigc are the
lovers. Tae young fellow ael ni-
best girl. viii let blis-fli eompauionslip
trench ON sIeepineSs every time. They
form Il pleasant feature Of evening life on
the bridge, these lowers. Solitary among
moving crow Is. his .ul-cualr a-u en.ir-
clas her waist, anil size rrust.u'l y submits
"a the caness. NOBODY notices them.
They are too common, AMI in that belief
Is their >olace AMI assurance But, though
they love to ineer. by IL O'Clock they are
l1IIowin. in the wax. IT the yin.Shin.
domestic circles. Tue benches under the
towers become vac.ut Perhaps some
lone youth Hu-ers upon them % re4d
again IN the white glare Of the electricity
a massive, we5I-thunJej. dirty AMI MISS
PEELED The pJiic.nga lo1zs az him
piryingly and passes on 10 his lts.e cabin
yhers-his can Of c5T.e .imn.rs gently
on the oil stove Poor iis.t siys tie
policeman softly 70 himself. -he's eaten
MS white bread now Tho policeman
gets - a iay and mas TO support a wife,
mo her-in-llv and eight children out Of
that. He pi-ies the Young fellow ont on
the bench But the youn. fellow dosen't
care for the policeman. He reai the letter
with the faulty orthography. and his ar
dent affection for the writer grows with
increased fervor
Midnight sees the last lover gone from
the bridge. At that hour the policemen
are changed The members Of the night
squad that then comes on wear different
expressions from those Of the day men.
The stony stare AMI curt reply Of the day
( policemen. who delight 70 freeze the mar
row in the bones Of countrymen seeking
inform ition. find no imir,tors among the
night patrol. The night man talks with
anv passing foot traveller 80 long Is the
latter viii ~ beguiled. When the foot
travellers cease 70 amuse, there Is usll-
ally an animated dialogue going on be
tween the policemen on the promenade
and his ueighbor down GA the driveway.
These intellectual exchanges of views
have q wide scope. and embrace religion,
politics philosophy, and the prise and
various brands ofchewing tobacco There
are TO jumping craHks 10 v0Try the soul
and tax the vision Of night policeman.
But there is n0 lack Of incidents 20 inter-
e~t the night wItchmaH. 4 reporter
crossing the bridge at o'clock one morn
ing noticed a policeman leaning over the
pdrupet in listening attitude. The rePor
f ter stopped wai5inean listened. Family
on the night air he could hear cries that
seemed to come fr m far up the East riy-
er. about Opposite Hlvenyers, sugar re-
finerv. 4 uoman was screaming -tiUr-
la- Nf1rla~7- P~a-4ur'v the. cries ce.. =
ed
What IS it2'' asked the reporter
Some IerliShnsSs going On down on
the river mutterei the policeman. - We
often here cries 5f peop in distress out
on the river. We are helpless 70 10 any
thing up here. By and by the cries stop,
and that Is the hast Of it. Sometimes We
se' a man go down 20 the dock We can
-ee him plainly by the light jump into
the river If he ever comes out. We never